The Russian word for shark is akula. In NATO, Akula is the designation given to most technologically advanced attack submarine of the Russian Navy. The Akula class submarine is Russia’s answer to the American Los Angeles class fast attack subs. Common opinion holds that Russian submarines are noisy and technologically inferior to their American and British counterparts. Expert opinion, however, knows what lies behind the traditional Russian veil of secrecy. With the Akula, the former Soviet Union has caught the US in the undersea arms race.
The Akula class nuclear submarine is officially deemed Project 971 Shuka B (shuka is an aggressive breed of fresh water pike). Soviet naval engineers designed Akula as the follow-up to the Victor and Sierra classes to set a new standard in stealth and serve as the vanguard of the modern Russian Navy. First of her class, the K-480 (named Bars, Russian for panther) was laid down in 1982 at the Komsomol'sk Shipyard on the Amur River (Eastern Russia) under the authority of the Malakhit Design Bureau. The Soviet Navy launched Bars in 1983 and commissioned her in December 1984. Most of the first eight Akula class submarines were built in Komsomol’sk until activities there ceased in 1993. The remaining submarines have been built or are under construction at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk (Northern Russia near Arkhangel’sk), now the primary shipyard for the Russian Navy.
The Akula is amongst the quietest submarine in the world, as proved in 1995 when one could not be tracked as it patrolled off the Eastern coast of America. The submarine has eight torpedo launch tubes. The propulsion system provides a maximum submerged speed of 33 knots and a surface speed of 10 knots. The Akula is rated for a diving depth to 600 m.
Dimensions (m):
Length: 110.0 m
Beam: 13.5 m
Draft: 9.6 m
The Akula class nuclear submarine is officially deemed Project 971 Shuka B (shuka is an aggressive breed of fresh water pike). Soviet naval engineers designed Akula as the follow-up to the Victor and Sierra classes to set a new standard in stealth and serve as the vanguard of the modern Russian Navy. First of her class, the K-480 (named Bars, Russian for panther) was laid down in 1982 at the Komsomol'sk Shipyard on the Amur River (Eastern Russia) under the authority of the Malakhit Design Bureau. The Soviet Navy launched Bars in 1983 and commissioned her in December 1984. Most of the first eight Akula class submarines were built in Komsomol’sk until activities there ceased in 1993. The remaining submarines have been built or are under construction at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk (Northern Russia near Arkhangel’sk), now the primary shipyard for the Russian Navy.
The Akula is amongst the quietest submarine in the world, as proved in 1995 when one could not be tracked as it patrolled off the Eastern coast of America. The submarine has eight torpedo launch tubes. The propulsion system provides a maximum submerged speed of 33 knots and a surface speed of 10 knots. The Akula is rated for a diving depth to 600 m.
Dimensions (m):
Length: 110.0 m
Beam: 13.5 m
Draft: 9.6 m




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